Sri Lanka rejected the reference made about the Easter Sunday Attacks of 2019 in the Written Update pursuant to HRC Resolution 51/1 presented by the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR).
A second Statement on behalf of Sri Lanka was made on Wednesday (13) by Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva, Himalee Arunatilaka during the General Debate held at the 54th Session of the Human Rights Council held in Geneva rejecting the alleged false reference made over the investigations on Easter Sunday Attack.
Arunatilaka in her statement said that the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) considers it as regrettable that the OHCHR has sought to use incorrect and unsubstantiated information from biased sources in their analysis on the Easter Sunday Attack. She said that as Sri Lanka has repeatedly informed the UNHRC, extensive and comprehensive investigations have been carried out by the GOSL with regard to the Easter Sunday attacks which included a Presidential Commission of Inquiry, the report of which was submitted to the Parliament. Investigations carried out by the Sri Lankan Government authorities were assisted by international professional agencies including the Australian Federal Police, the FBI of the United States and INTERPOL, she said.
Arunatilaka in her statement further said, “As at April 2023, 79 have been indicted in Easter Sunday terror attacks related matters.
On 12 January 2023, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka delivered its judgment on the Fundamental Rights petition that was filed against the President, IGP, Director of State Intelligence Service, Defence Secretary and Chief of National Intelligence, at the time of these attacks.”
“In addition, the Government has decided to establish a Parliamentary Select Committee to address concerns raised in the public domain as of late and the President has appointed a committee, led by a retired Supreme Court Judge to investigate the relevant allegations.”
“We appreciate the many positive comments made by countries during the Interactive Dialogue on Sri Lanka, acknowledging the visible progress on the ground.”
Sri Lanka supports the One China policy while welcoming China’s cooperation with UN human rights mechanisms and will reiterate that interference in the internal affairs of any sovereign country cannot and should not be tolerated, Arunatilaka said.
